Object Lesson 11

OBJECT LESSON GOAL:

Message about stopping bad actions before they become habits that bind us.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE:

Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

A cassette player tape (That you don’t mind destroying), Inexpensive blank ones are good to use. Also, a good pair of scissors.

MESSAGE:

In the Bible in the letter to the Romans, Paul shares a very important concept. He writes in chapter 12 verse 2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” In other words, we want to avoid doing things that are not what the Bible teaches, even if you think “everyone else is doing it.” You see while others may be, they are trapped by their sins. I don’t want to be in that situation. I don’t want the sins I’ve committed to keep me bound up.

Well, did you know that we fall into sin when we have bad habits? And the best time to end such habits is when they get started. I need a helper so we can demonstrate this.

(Pick a helper and have them come and stand by you) I’ve got a tape here that happens to be blank, but let’s say it has a song recorded on it. (Pull out some of the tape from the cassette and break the tape then pull some out and tie a single strand round the wrists of a your helper) Now when you hear it the first time, will it affect you? Will it keep you in bondage, a slave to its message? Let’s find out. (To the helper) can you break away from this tape? (The helper will easily do this)

Well that wasn’t too hard. But what happens when we keep listening to this music. (Holding an end of the tape, start wrapping the tape around the wrists of your helper about twenty times or so and then break the tape and tie it to the other end) Now is it easy to break loose? (The helper will fail) What if it isn’t just music? What if we start watching television shows and movies that are not appropriate (Start tying more and more tape around the helpers wrists) Let’s say we start saying words that are not appropriate for anyone, especially Christians, to be saying. (To helper) See if all these things make it easy to break away. So something that started out having so little ability to bind us suddenly traps us.

Fortunately there is a way out of this binding, and that is when we give our lives over to Jesus. When we make Him the main thing in our lives and turn from our sinful ways. And that includes listening to music that is not appropriate, watching shows that use language and have scenes that are things we shouldn’t be watching and even saying words that are not right for us to be saying. When we admit that we are sinners, we believe that Jesus came and died on the cross for those sins and that He rose again and that we want to live our lives in such a way that is pleasing to Him, then He is faithful to (Pull out scissors and cut away the tape) remove us from that which binds us. Let’s give our helper a big hand for helping us today. (Let helper return to their seat)

You may be thinking through all of this, “Hey, didn’t you ruin that tape?” Well, let me ask you something. Which is better, ruining the tape or having it ruin me? I think the answer is pretty obvious.


		BOUND BY BAD HABITS
	OBJECT LESSON GOAL: Message about stopping bad actions before they become habits that bind us. SCRIPTURE REFERENCE: Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” WHAT YOU WILL NEED: A cassette player tape (That you don’t mind destroying), Inexpensive blank ones are good to use. Also, a good pair of scissors. MESSAGE: In the Bible in the letter to the Romans, Paul shares a very important concept. He writes in chapter 12 verse 2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” In other words, we want to avoid doing things that are not what the Bible teaches, even if you think “everyone else is doing it.” You see while others may be, they are trapped by their sins. I don’t want to be in that situation. I don’t want the sins I’ve committed to keep me bound up. Well, did you know that we fall into sin when we have bad habits? And the best time to end such habits is when they get started. I need a helper so we can demonstrate this. (Pick a helper and have them come and stand by you) I’ve got a tape here that happens to be blank, but let’s say it has a song recorded on it. (Pull out some of the tape from the cassette and break the tape then pull some out and tie a single strand round the wrists of a your helper) Now when you hear it the first time, will it affect you? Will it keep you in bondage, a slave to its message? Let’s find out. (To the helper) can you break away from this tape? (The helper will easily do this) Well that wasn’t too hard. But what happens when we keep listening to this music. (Holding an end of the tape, start wrapping the tape around the wrists of your helper about twenty times or so and then break the tape and tie it to the other end) Now is it easy to break loose? (The helper will fail) What if it isn’t just music? What if we start watching television shows and movies that are not appropriate (Start tying more and more tape around the helpers wrists) Let’s say we start saying words that are not appropriate for anyone, especially Christians, to be saying. (To helper) See if all these things make it easy to break away. So something that started out having so little ability to bind us suddenly traps us. Fortunately there is a way out of this binding, and that is when we give our lives over to Jesus. When we make Him the main thing in our lives and turn from our sinful ways. And that includes listening to music that is not appropriate, watching shows that use language and have scenes that are things we shouldn’t be watching and even saying words that are not right for us to be saying. When we admit that we are sinners, we believe that Jesus came and died on the cross for those sins and that He rose again and that we want to live our lives in such a way that is pleasing to Him, then He is faithful to (Pull out scissors and cut away the tape) remove us from that which binds us. Let’s give our helper a big hand for helping us today. (Let helper return to their seat) You may be thinking through all of this, “Hey, didn’t you ruin that tape?” Well, let me ask you something. Which is better, ruining the tape or having it ruin me? I think the answer is pretty obvious. MORE OBJECT LESSONS - RESOURCES - HOME